New opportunities unveiled for Kukes potato growers

TIRANA, Sept. 18 – Government has assured potato growers in the northeastern Albanian region of Kukes, one of the country’s poorest, will no longer face difficulties in selling their key agricultural product.
Visiting the village of Shishtavec in Kukes this week, Agriculture Minister Edmond Panariti announced local potato growers will also have the opportunity of selling their products in The Netherlands and Turkey thanks to a new project.
Due to poor infrastructure and fierce competition from Kosovo, potato growers in Kukes have often been forced to throw away their production. The northeastern region of Kukes produces around 13,000 tonnes of potatoes annually in some 554 hectares.
Back in 2012, Albania increased reference prices on Kosovo potatoes in order to protect domestic production mainly in Kukes and Kor衬 southeastern Albania.
In early 2012, Albania introduced reference prices on Kosovo potatoes which Kosovo considered as unacceptable under the CEFTA agreement and warned of imposing reciprocity measures. However, in April 2012 reference prices for Kosovo potatoes were restored to the previous levels.